This invention relates to an improved tool for use with a powered drill. The tool includes a two-ended reversible tool assembly with one end having a bit for drilling a pilot hole and countersink, and the other end having a screwdriver for driving a screw into the pilot hole.
Presently, carpenters and other builders often use a combination of tools to accomplish the task of drilling and countersinking pilot holes for screws and then driving a screw into the pilot hole. Generally, they either have used two powered drills with one holding a pilot-hole, drill-bit attachment and the other holding a screwdriving attachment, or they have used one drill in which the separate attachments were alternately clamped into the chuck of the single drill with a corresponding waste of time.
There have been several previous attempts to solve the problem of maintaining two attachments available for use in one tool clamped in a powered drill. U.S. Pat. No. 3,023,015 to Pankow illustrates an elongate tubular cylindrical dual socket having a drill chuck engaging tang at one end. The other end of the socket is designed to releasably hold reversible screwdriver and countersink attachments. This socket accommodates only specially manufactured bits, both for the screwdriver and the countersink attachments, each having a lateral stop flange to limit insertion depth into the socket. The bits are held in place with set screws. A ball detent device positioned on the socket is used to transmit rotational energy from the drill to a bit. Transmitting rotational energy in this fashion through the sloping walls of a ball in a detent puts considerable deforming strain on the socket. A guide sleeve is also provided to cover the ball detent device. A pair of exposed springs attached to the sleeve resiliently holds the sleeve on the socket.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,676,703 to Swanson also illustrates a reversible drill bit and drive tool holder. The reversible drill and driver tool holder pivotally holds the dual ended socket for holding the reversible tools. The bits are held in place in the socket with set screws. The tool holder is machined to receive the particular tool not being used in a position within the holder so as to be out of the way. A user pivots the socket within the tool holder to position the appropriate tool against the work piece.
From the above, it can be seen that a need exists for a simple two-ended reversible tool assembly for use with a powered drill. The reversible tool socket should be capable of accepting a wide variety of screw driving bits and should also be capable of transmitting rotational energy from the drill to the bit without being subject to wear.
Further, there are widely-available commercial screw driver bits having hexagonal shanks. These bits are used by carpenters and builders with drill sockets having a corresponding hexagonal shape. These bits are commonly used today as replacement bits thereby eliminating the necessity of replacing the entire screwdriver. A need exists for a reversible bit drill attachment capable of accepting these conventional hexagonal shanked bits.